“…and then I saw them, thirteen dwarves hanging fromthe trees all trussed up like turkeys ready to roastfor supper. And supper they were going to be, mind youfor sitting right there in the shadows as nice as youplease…” here the storyteller forced a shiver andsquinted his eyes at his audience of one, “…were thelargest…hairiest…and most dangerous looking spidersyou could ever imagine….”

Eyes round with excitement, young Samwise Gamgeestared intently at the Master of Bag End, hanging onevery word of the all too familiar tale. Behind him,lights twinkled to life in the homey windows down therow. Around them, the deepening shadows of earlyevening swallowed the Shire in what promised to be aclear and cool night.

“…closer and closer I crept until I could see theirglittering eyes, smell the stink of their…”

“SAAAAMWIIIIISE!”

Startled, the small lad jumped at the howling of hisname from down the row. Looking over his shoulder andinto the gathering dark, he frowned at how late it hadsuddenly become.

“Uh oh…that’d be Daisy a lookin’ for me. B..beggin’yer pardon, Mister Bilbo sir,” he stammered, boundingto his feet and brushing tufts of grass from the backof his britches. “I reckon I done overstayedm’welcome…”

“Nonsense lad,” the elder hobbit assured with adismissive wave of his hand. “Still…best be on yourway, before she comes and drags you off by your ear.That one’s a regular terror when her back gets up.” Hewinked at the lad with a knowing twinkle in his eyes.“We’ll finish the story another time Sam my lad, notlike you need that at all…I suspect you could tell italmost as well as I do by now.”

“Oh no, Master Bilbo,” he whispered, shaking his headearnestly, “…ain’t no one what tells it like you sir.”

Bilbo ruffled the lad’s hair affectionately and shoo’dhim on his way. “Best run along now, before yourgaffer has to call.”

“Oh yes sir! G’nite!”

Suitably motivated and nodding his head respectfullyto the elder hobbit, the lad turned away. With a waveof his chubby hand, he sped through the gate at BagEnd and raced off down the lane towards home.

Chuckling contentedly, Bilbo drew deeply on his pipestem and blew a lazy smoke ring into the still nightair. The Gamgee lad never tired of listening to thetales of his master’s burgling days and Bilbo had toadmit that he really never tired of telling them.

‘Spiders and Elves,’ Bilbo thought as he smokedthrough the last remnants of his tobacco, and listenedfor the slamming of a smial door that heralded thelad’s safe arrival at home. Sam never seemed to mindthe spider part, knowing that soon enough there’d betales of Thranduil’s hall and the Elves of Mirkwood.Sam loved to hear anything about Elves. ‘MirkwoodElves. Hrrrumph…a bother, the whole lot of them, ifyou ask me…’

***

Sam’s sister met him at the doorway, hands on her hipsand lips pursed in a way that the younger hobbit knewmeant trouble. She clucked at him angrily and thesound reminded Sam of a wet hen.

“And just where were you?” she questioned, glaring himinto the room. “Don’t you know how late it be getting?You’re s’pose to be home afore dark. Your lucky daain’t home.”

Daisy was alternately bossing him around and motheringhim – though she was only eight years his senior. Samfrowned at his hands. He knew she’d likely tell theirgaffer about his tardiness, especially if he couldn’tcome up with a good excuse for his lateness, and thelad didn’t relish the tongue-lashing he’d receive withhis first breakfast in the morning.

“I were just finishing up at Mister Bilbo’s,” hegrumbled vaguely.

He pulled off his coat and settled it and his cap on apeg by the door before turning defiantly to face hissister’s reproving gaze. He wasn’t exactly telling afalsehood, but Sam felt a tightening in his chest atthe fib just the same. It was wrong to tell a lie,even a little one, and he knew it.

Daisy stood silently, reading her younger brother’sface for a long moment before sighing in an all tooadult fashion. “Well, you’d best wash yer face andhands real quick then, and be off to bed – afore dagets home an’ dusts yer britches for you.”

Satisfied that her authority would not be questioned,Daisy moved away from him and swiveled to tend thefire that still blazed under the kettle in the kitchenhearth. Behind her, Sam screwed his face up into agrimace, poked his thumbs in his ears, flapped hisfingers and stuck his tongue out at her back. Thenfinished with his moment of childish defiance, heturned to skip down the long hallway, heading to thefar end of the smial and the little cubbyhole hecalled his own. Shutting the door with more vigor thannecessary, he jumped onto his bed to the echoing ofhis sister’s irritated voice down the hall.

A half full pitcher and washbasin rested on a standnext to the bed, and without leaving his perch, Samsplashed some of the pitcher’s cold water into thebowl. Wetting a scrap of cloth, he scrubbed at hisface, neck and ears to remove the day’s collection ofgrime then ran wet fingers through his tangled hair.Satisfied he’d pass his sister’s inspection should shechoose to bother with him, he draped the wet rag overits peg. Sliding from the bed where he’d beenkneeling, he took the basin to the room’s small windowand dumped the contents outside onto the ground below.

The gentle breath of a breeze hinted at a chilly nightto come, and for a moment the young hobbit consideredclosing the shutters. He hesitated, caught all at onceby the glow of the moon as it peeked through a thincovering of clouds, and watched – mesmerized – as itpainted the leaves on the trees with a silvery sheen.Sighing, his heart filled with dreamy thoughts ofElven homes like Rivendell he turned wistfully awayfrom the portal leaving the wooden barriers open.

“‘Tis too pretty a night to be shuttin’ it out,” hewhispered to no one in particular. “Near magical itis…”

He shucked his clothes and pulled a fresh launderednightshirt over his tousled head. Then adding anotherwoolen blanket to the pile upon his bed, he crawledinto the comfortable nest. Tired from a hard day atplay, his head full of fanciful stories, Sam settledin with hopes of adventurous dreams.

***

In a darkness broken only by the glowing of the nearfull moon, Sam startled awake. Silvered light dancedacross his bed covers and painted pictures on theearthen floor. He wasn’t sure of what exactly haddisturbed him, but a sudden crawling of icy goosefleshdotted his arms and sent shivers trembling up hisback.

The smial was silent, the residents all likely long inbed, and the lad snuggled the blankets up under hischin. Glancing warily around the room his no longersleepy eyes caught movement in the far corner. Fearpawed at him and his heart leapt into his throat andseemed to lodge there as he quickly shut his eyes.

He scrunched down in the blankets until only hishand-covered face peered out from the folds of fabric. Peeking through splayed fingers, he glanced once moretoward the corner of the room – the one near the door,the one that lay opposite the window.

For a moment he saw nothing, only the familiar scarredtextures of woodwork that had always been part of aroom he’d slept in all his life. But then he saw itagain, what his first glance had only hinted at.

Long, hairy black legs and a huge bulbous bodyscuttled across the wall, making quick patterns on theaging boards as the mammoth creature spun the strandsof a web that nearly covered the whole surface.

‘Spider!’

The word screamed in Sam’s young mind, causing anervous sweat to break out on his face and at the napeof his neck.

Mind whirling in fear, he could almost feel thetickling brush of the creatures’ hairy legs againsthis cheek, crawling on his arm, skittering down hisback. Horrified, he imagined the clinging touch of webas the beast wrapped him up in a sticky cocoon beforedevouring him.

And where there was one big spider, could others befar behind? Mister Bilbo’s tale had spoken of many…

A scream welled up in Sam’s chest as the creaturehesitated in her work, poised in the corner as ifready to pounce on the hapless hobbit lad. He squealedin terror, throwing the blankets over his head toguard against the imminent attack. Tearful andtrembling, he covered his face with shaking hands andawaited the end.

“Sam-lad?” The voice from behind the door was sleepybut held a hint of concern. The hinges creaked,footsteps scuffled into the room and a weight presseddown into the soft rushes of the bed. “What is itlad?”

“Da!” Sam threw back the covers and fell into hisfather’s waiting embrace, burying his face into theworn material of the elder Gamgee’s nightshirt.

“What be wrong, Samwise?”

“Don’ let it get you!!” the frightened child squeaked,clinging to his father even tighter.

“Let what get me lad?”

“There da, don’ you see’t?” Sam waved a shaky fingertoward the corner by the door, his face still buriedin his father’s shoulder.

Glancing to where his son was pointing, Hamfastchuckled gently and squeezed his son’s trembling body.“Oh m’lad…”

“Don’ you see it da? The spider! ‘Tis the biggest oneyou ever seen…big as even ‘em in Mister Bilbo’sstories!”

“Is that what this be all ‘bout?” Hamfast asked,frowning over his shoulder at the apparition thatstill scuttled about on the far wall. “Now lad, yougot nothin’ to be ‘fraid of. Look here…”

The elder Gamgee released his son, and rising from thebed he crossed to the window. Pointing with aweathered hand, he revealed the shadow’s culprit – anormal garden spider, spinning her web in the opening.Back lit by moon light, the spider and web had beenprojected onto the opposite wall, creating a largerthan life-sized shadow.

“‘Tain’t nothing here what can hurt you lad. ‘Tis justa trick of the moon…”

***

Bathed in nervous sweat, Sam startled to a suddenwakefulness and shook off the last remnants of a dreamnot quite remembered. For a moment he was disoriented,unsure of where he’d come to be sleeping and where hismaster was.

‘Ah yes,’ he breathed, clarity returning as he glancedaround the dark grove. ‘’Tweren’t Henneth Annun nomore…they’d done left Capt’n Faramir and the rangersearlier that day…or were it yesterday now, he couldn’ttell and they had come some seven or so leagues alongsince then.’

He wasn’t sure what sound or movement had driven himfrom his uneasy sleep, but icy gooseflesh still dottedhis arms and sent shivers down his back. Well, itcertainly hadn’t been Gollum pawing about; thecreature had gone off not long after they’d stoppedfor the night and a quick glance about proved hehadn’t yet returned.

But what then?

Sam sighed, uncurling the folds of his cloak, andeased to sit with his shoulders sagging against thecold bole of a sheltering tree. At his side, Frodo laymotionless still immersed in deep slumber. Sam watchedhim in silence, counting his master’s breaths in thestillness of the night. A small smile turned up thecorners of his mouth.

‘Good,’ he thought, ‘you sleep on, m’dear MisterFrodo, with no dreamin’ to disturb you. ‘Tis enough ofdarkness yet to be faced without it haunting yoursleepin’ too.’

Remembering the vestiges of his own dream, he restedfor a moment, contemplating it in silence.

Spiders…now what had dredged up that old memory.

Sam had nearly forgotten that night so long ago. Hesmiled, remembering the gentle way his father hadshown him the small visitor to his bedroom window andthe way the moon’s light though the opening hadswelled her into a foreboding shadow. His da had evenshared with him a whimsical spate of hand shadows –rabbits and birds and other silhouette creatures – tohelp ease the fear that the moon’s illusion hadcreated.

And though he’d been reassured by the explanation,some anxiety had remained even as his gaffer hadtucked him back under the covers.

‘Tain’t no need to be afeared, lad,’ his da hadsoothed, smoothing back his unruly curls and caressinghis cheek. ‘Long as you be under my roof I sure aswon’t be letting nothin’ hurt you.’

He’d not known until much later that the Gaffer hadspoken with Mister Bilbo that next morning, asking himto leave off with tales of spiders and such until hislad were a bit older. In his fatherly way, he’d soughtto protect his gentle son, to shelter him just alittle longer.

Now here that same son was, so far from family andhome, off with his Mister Frodo on some frightfuladventure of his own.

‘Already we’ve face so many horrors more fantasticalthan Old Mister Bilbo’s stories,’ Sam thought,remembering the Black Riders and all the darkhappenings in the bowels of Moria. He reached out ahand to touch Frodo with a feather light touch, tryingto reassuring himself with the gentle contact that hewasn’t alone there in the wilderness. ‘I reckon nowFrodo that I’ll never see them great spiders of mychildhood dreams with quite the same fear as I oncedid.’

Lying back down, head pillowed on his dwindling pack,Sam shifted about trying to find a comfortableposition on the lumpy ground. Though weary to the bonehe still found sleep elusive. He knew that all toosoon they’d have to be on their way once more,following that creature Gollum toward who knows whatnew horrors.

Sam relaxed, forcing his eyes shut and his anxiousmind to silence. Whatever their path may be, he’d dealwith it tomorrow – when the morning’s light wouldchase away the shadows of the past – just like hisGaffer had, that night so long ago.

~~~

Two Towers – Chapter 7: Journey to the Cross-roads

“Darkness came early to the silent woods, and beforethe fall of night they halted, weary, for they hadwalked seven leagues or more from Henneth Annun. Frodolay and slept away the night on the deep mould beneathan ancient tree. Sam beside him was more uneasy: hewoke many times, but there was never a sign of Gollum,who had slipped off as soon as the others had settledto rest.”